Automatic train-stopping apparatus



June 16, 1925.

J. A. GRAMM AUTOMATIC TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 21. 1924..

gnwnl'oc Patented June 16, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'VOFFICE.

JOHITA. GRAMM, OF DALLASfTEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-EIGHTH TO A. J. URBISH, ONE-EIGHTH TO JAMES PJTHOMAS, ONE-EIGHTH T0 BENJAMIN R. BUFORD, AND

ONE-EIGHTH TO 1). B. MATHERS, ALL OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

\ AUTOIVIATIC TRAIN-STOPPING AEPARATUS.

a filed March 21, 1924. Serial No. 700,818.

To all whom it may concern):

' Be it known that I, JOHN A. GRAMM,

citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State ofTexas, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I I i This invention relates to new and useful improvements inautomatic train stopping apparatuses.

The ob'ect of the 7 means carried by the train and automatically operated by a device set on the road bed, for setting the air brakes.

A particular object is to provide means for gradually applying the air brakes, whereby the trainis gradually" brought to a stop and too sudden stopping or derailing prevented. a I A further object is to provide a tripping device located at the railroad track, which is normally held" out of the path of the Another object is to provide means whereby thefluid of theair brake line may be utilized to hold the parts ina tripped position, after the actuating element has been tripped.

Astill further object is to provide a sealed fluid passage in the train-carried actuating element, connected with the air line of the air brake system, whereby the breaking off of said element will actuate the train stopping mechanism. I r

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with otherfeatures of the invention. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of th n i n s own, d wher n: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a car truck and the side of a railway road bed, showing an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, applied thereto. Fig- 2 is a cross-sectional view on the *lieeeafis aly invention is to provide Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the arm passage open, and

Fig. 7 is a plan view of device. a I

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a housing having a chamber 11 at one end and a cylindrical bore 12 at its opposite end which is open. In the bore a cylindrical valve head 13 hasa snug turning fit. I This .head is confined by a flanged conical cap '14 secured to the flange 15 of the housing by bolts 16. A nipple 17 enters the housing at one side of the bore and an elbow 18 extends from the diametrically opposite side of the bore. g

The head has a diametrical' passage 19 located to register. with the ends of the elbow. and the nipple when the. head is The turned to one limit ofitsrotation. head has a peripheral recess 20 receiving a lug 21 protruding from thebore 12, for limiting the rotation of the head. This recess extends inwardly from theouter end of the 'head. A tubular stem 22fextends axially from the head through the outer end of the cap. The head has an angular port 23 extending from the bore of the stem to the periphery of said head.

When the head is turned to its normal position the port 23 registers with a short elbow 2i extending from the cylindrical bore '12 and connected with the nipple 17, as is shown in Fig. 3. In this position the lug 21 is at one end of the recess 20 and the passage 19 is out of registration with the the tripping nlpple 17 and elbow 18. When the head is swung so that lug is at the other end of the recess, the port is out of registration with the elbow 24, as is shown in Fig. 5

and the passage 19 is brought into registration with 17 and'lfi, as is Shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

An angular arm 25 is formed vintegral with the end of the stern and bent at right angles thereto.- A passage in the arm e s fr m n ti as; a P i of we nection with the stem, where it registers with the bore of said stem. The passage is sealed and is to be utilized only in case the arm is broken. lVhile I have shown the arm and stem in two pieces, it is to be under stood that these parts may be made in any suitable manner. A coiled. spring 28 in the cap surrounds the stem and has one end attached to the cap and the-other endsecured to the valve head. This spring acts to rotate the head in a counter clockwise direction to hold the arm down to its normal position. a A pipe 29 connected with the main air line of the braking system, is attached to the nipple 17. Thus when the head is in its normal position the air passes through the elbow 2 1, port 23 and stem 22 to the passage 27, but cannot enter the passage 19. hen the arm 25 is raised the valve is turned and the air permitted to pass through the passage 19 to the elbow 18.

A cylinder is mounted on the side of the housing radially of the chamber 11 and contains a piston 31 having a rod 32 extending into the chamber 11 through a slot 33 in the side of the housing 10. A pitman 3 1 is pivoted to the piston rod and a crank shaft 35; The shaft is journaled in the. end of the chamber at one end and has its opposite end secured to the centerof the valve head 13. Normally the piston is at the outer end of the cylinder and the crank shaft. is off center or out of alinement with the pitman.

hen the arm 25 is tripped or raised, the head 13 is rotated and the crank shaft is rocked to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, whereby the shaft is positioned on dead center and alined with thepitman 34 and rod 32. The air enters the cylinder from the elbow 18 and exerts its pressure upon the pistonand this pressure is suflicient to overcome the tension ofthe spring 28 and the tendency of the arm 25 to swing down. Thus the passage 19 is held in registration with the nipple l7 and the elbow 18. A small discharge pipe 36 extends from the opposite side of the cylinder and the air entering the cylinder gradually passes or leaks through this pipe. By this means the air in the braking system is gradually released and the brakes applied in a normal manner, whereby the train is brought to a natural stop. The parts described constitute a valve mechanism.

The housing 10 and cylinder 30 are provided with a flange 37 where they may be attached to the truck or other part of a car, engine or caboose, as the conditions may require. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the arm 25 overhangs the side of the track and so long as itstrikes no obstruction it remains in its normal position. Any suitable means might be evolved to trip the arm when it was to stop the train. It is obvious that the stopping means might be located either at the side or between the rails, because the valve mechanism could be just as well supported under the train; also it is possible to operate the valve from an overhead position, in which event. the valve mechanism would be mounted on top of the car.

I have illustrated a vertical adjustable trip comprising telescoping members 38 and 39, respectively, mounted at the side of the track. The member 38 is secured on a bracket 40 which is suitably fastened to one of the rails and the supportingcrosstie. On top of the member 39 is fastened a shoe ll inclined downwardly on each side of its apex, parallel to the track. A plunger rod 42 fastened in the member 39 extends through the bracket 40, and is surrounded by a coiled spring 13 which acts to elevate the member 39.

For normally holding the member 39 and its shoe ll in an inactive or lowered position a lever 44 is connected with the plunger 42 through the agency of a pin 14 on the plunger. This pin is confined in a slot 45 in the lever. The inner end of the lever is pivoted to a bracket a6 mounted on the side of one of the cross-ties. ,A chain or other fiexibleconnection 47 is attached to the outer end of the lever and passes down under the pulley of a sheave 4,8, which is mounted on a base 49. The chain extends to the signal tower, or other operating point where it is attached tosuitable operating means, (not shown). 7

Normally the chain is under restraint whereby the lever is pulled down to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The lever pulls the plunger 12 down and it in turn moves the member 39 and the shoe 41 down, whereby the spring 43 is placed under tension. The upward movement of the parts is limited by a nut 50' adjustableon the plunger. v

hen it is desired to stop the train'the chain 17 is released and this frees the compressed spring 43, which expands and elevates the member 39 and the shoe 41. As the train passes the tripping device the arm 25 rides over the shoe and swings upwardly to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Immediately the air from the pipe 29 and nipple 17 rushes through the passage 19, which has been brought into registration. with the nipple, by the rotation of the head 13 through the swingingof the arm.

The rotating of the head swings the crank shaft 35 which pulls the piston 31 inwardly in the cylinder through the agency of the pitman 34 and rod 32. The air from the passage19 fiows through'the elbow 18 into the cylinder 30' and maintains a pressure against the piston which maintains the. parts in position. The air slowly discharges from the cylinder through the pipe 36 and thus relieves the pressure in the air line whereby the brakes are gradually applied. This train is stopped in a safe and natural man ner.

Various changes and alterations, within the scope of the appended claims, are contemplated as for instancethe elevation of a tripping medium by a suitable means, the use of any form of air releasing valve and the use of any suitable means for controlling escape of the air to reduce the pressure in the air line.

What I claim, is: p

1. In a train stopping apparatus, a housing, a valve mounted in the housing having an air passage, an air line connection with which said valve passage registers, an air conductor leading from the housing and with which said valve passage is adapted to register, the valve being normally out of registration with both the air line connection and the air conductor, a tripping arm connected with said valve and extending from the housing,a cylinder connected with the conductor, a reduced air discharge on the cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, and a connection between the piston and the valve.

2. In a train stopping ap aratus, the combination of a rotatable va ve connected in the air brake line and having a port normally out of registration with the said line,

exterior operating means in position to be engaged by a track obstruction to rotate the valve to register the port with the line, pressure operated means in the line beyond the valve operated by the released pressure to hold the valve open, and a reduced escape for the released air to gradually set the brakes. i

3. In a train stopping apparatus, the combination of a rotatable valve connected in the air brake line and having a port normally out of registration with the said line,

exterior operating means in position to be engaged by a track obstruction to rotate the valve to register the port with the line, a receptacle receiving the released air passing the valve, means in the receptacle displaced by the air for holding the valve open, and a reduced escape pipe leading from the receptacle to retard the passage of air from the line and gradually set the brakes.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa c ture.

JOHN A. GRAMM. 

